


But Don’t Go Tearing Your Life Apart

by pipdepop



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Mentioned Canonical Character Death, Missing Scene, except it’s not sweet it’s sad, short n' sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 13:15:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28546218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pipdepop/pseuds/pipdepop
Summary: “I told you – he regrets what he did, he wants to move on. We all do. Why don’t you?”
Relationships: Arthur Morgan & Isaac Morgan, John Marston & Arthur Morgan
Comments: 14
Kudos: 33





	But Don’t Go Tearing Your Life Apart

“I told you – he regrets what he did, he wants to move on. We all do. Why don’t you?”

“Oh, I’m _sure_ he wants to move on. Folks’ve always been quick to forgive every stupid thing he does – why should running out on his family be any different, huh? Golden Boy can’t ever do no wrong, never has to face the conseq-”

“Are you angry with him for leaving the gang? Or for repeating the same mistake you did, despite the fact he shoulda known better?”

“...”

“Because I remember being angry with you for the same reason. And Bessie didn’t have a babe to look after.”

“...They were with the gang, Hosea. He ain’t ever had to choose between the two. They were _right here,_ and he still left ‘em.”

“And now he’s back. And he’s trying.”

“Is he? Then how come _I’m_ the one teachin’ the kid how to fish?”

“Give him time-”

“He’s had four years, seven months, and eighteen days. Which is two months and eleven days longer’n I had.”

“Arthur...”

“I- I figured ya’ll needed me more. Thought _you_ were the ones in danger of bein’ shot to pieces. But... I almost left, y’know. That winter Isaac got sick, I almost sent you letter, got as far as the post office. But... but I couldn’t get the picture of John with a noose ‘round his neck outta my head. The... the _wheezing_ noises Isaac was makin’? Sounded just like John right after we managed to cut ‘im down.” 

“...”

“Can I forgive ‘im for leavin’? Sure, maybe, someday. Can I forgive ‘im for bein’ the luckiest sonovabitch alive and just _spitting on it?_ Naw. That don’t deserve forgiving.”

“...Hm.”

“‘Hm’ _what?”_

“I’m just wondering... if maybe you refuse to forgive John, because you refuse to forgive yourself.”

“...”

**Author's Note:**

> Also posted on [tumblr](https://pipdepop.tumblr.com/post/639368672198131712/i-told-you-he-regrets-what-he-did-he-wants-to) (where you can see the image in higher quality)
> 
> In my own headcanon for the timeline of events regarding Isaac and Eliza, Isaac would have been born ~six months after John joined the gang. This was initially by accident, but I reckon it’d be a really interesting dilemma to explore – Arthur trying to juggle the needs of his new little brother with his new son, and being torn between his sense of duty to Eliza versus loyalty to Dutch and Hosea. Then I was going through my screenshots, saw this one, got hit with 20 minutes of Inspiration... and here we are. 
> 
> There will be a longer follow up to this, but I’m forcing myself to plan out that long-fic first! So, my apologies for the brevity - but as always, thank you for reading <3 
> 
> PS Title is from ‘Cry’ by James Blunt


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